Before it was even light outside Tuesday morning, Lone Star College-Montgomery history professor Craig Livingston sounded his copper British Army military bugle signaling the start of his weekly workout.
In the trails behind Building A on campus, a group of Livingston’s early rising history students began their workout with Livingston at 6:35 a.m.
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For the third semester, Livingston, a founding faculty member at the campus, has been leading a weekly workout based on his Army Ranger training and exercises the Roman soldiers would have used in their training mixed with some modern workout techniques.Â
“I’m out here exercising every morning, I thought why don’t I bring students into this world,” said Livingston, 63. “Exercise enables me to teach five days a week and stay happy, engage with my students and engage with the subject matter which is history. Physical fitness clarifies the mind and benefits academically.”
He started the Tuesday morning workout in September 2022 and says he has from five to 15 students join him each week. He has taught history at the campus since it opened in 1995.Â
“Back in the old days, in the colonial military, the citizen was required to keep powder horn bullets and a musket. That was what they called readiness,” he said. “I tell the students, someday your country might need you and so it is good to get out here and make your body ready if you are needed for something and it pays off good mental benefits as well.”Â
They start with a series of push ups, then sit ups, squawk walks, a run and finish with planks. The workout takes about 25 minutes and then they all head to class for the day.Â
He names of some of the Roman-themed exercises are “Barbarian sneak up” for going up the parking garage stairs and “tower assault” for taking over the parking garage. Â
Livingston said he’s always felt called to go above and beyond, especially when it comes to engaging the students. He’s hosted movie nights, field trips and participated with students in community events where he plays the bagpipes to share his passion for history.Â
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Sami El-Abib is a regular at the Tuesday morning workouts.Â
El-Abib was motivated to join by Livingston’s Army Ranger training which offered a continuation of El-Abib’s time in the Boy Scouts.Â
He said he is a morning person and enjoys the cool temperatures and competitive nature as students compete for the best times at the run and other exercises.Â
History student Rossi Montieo is inspired by Livingston’s dedication. She joined the group for the first time Tuesday morning.Â
He favorite part was the run. She said she had not been running in a while.
She plans on returning to the workout.
“I doubt there are any other professors or students seeing each other in this way this morning,” he said.Â
Visit the LSC-Montgomery website for more.Â
